Run QLD Rainbow Beach Marathon

Posted on22 July, 201824 July, 2018

I decided sometime ago to do the Rainbow Beach marathon and signed up thinking of all the training I would be doing. Jump forward 10 weeks and I am suddenly panicking because my training consisted of yoga, short trail walks/runs and lots of cake. Oh well, I thought its going to hurt.

I drove to Rainbow Beach on Saturday and booked a studio cabin in the caravan park. It was perfect, right in the middle of town and only two minutes from the start the following morning. It was time for a bit of exploring and registration for 5:30pm.

Sunday morning was an early start, up at 5:00am, shower, breakfast and down to the start by 5:45am. It was a chilly morning but with the promise of a beautiful day ahead. The dawn was breaking as we lined up at the start set off on the start if the Rainbow Beach marathon. At this point I am thinking that the half would have been a much more sensible option but too late I was committed.

The run started by crossing the Carlo Sand Blow and following the Cooloola Great Walk to Poona Lake and onto Teewah Beach. We then turned left and followed the beach to Double Island Point and lighthouse overlooking Wide Bay. From here we dropped down to Northern Beach then back up to the Leisha Track to the Carlo Sand Blow and Rainbow Beach. This was a great run with a good mix of terrain.

Propelled into the beauty of Rainbow BeachLucky the beach wasn’t too sandyShifting sandsOverlooking Rainbow BeachFresh printsJust need to watch for vehiclesThe view from the barSights like this, its going to be a great runTexture

Taking it all inWatching the sunset

Ready to runFirst crossing of the Carlos Sand BlowCooloola Great WalkPoona LakeTeewah BeachA long way up the beachbut what a viewLooking back along Teewah BeachDouble Island Point Light HouseView out to Wide BayNot far to go nowCrossing the Sand Blow